Student Spotlight

Stephanie Platt
Study Abroad Fall 2010 – Sweden

What is your major?
Communication with a minor in Sociology.

Where did you study abroad, through what program/course, and how long were you there?
I am studying abroad in Karlskrona, Sweden which is on the southern border of the country right on the sea. I am in the Literature, Culture, and Digital Media Program here at Blekinge Technical Institute for the duration of the fall semester and I will be coming back late December.
What do your courses consist of doing?
The courses I am taking here in Sweden consist mainly of culture and digital media aspects of communications versus the theoretical and philosophical I am used to learning at UMD. I have studied different digital media theorists and am currently working on a project on emerging technologies in use for contemporary museums and will create technical documents for non-technical users.

What is your favorite memory from your study abroad experience?
It is extremely hard to come up with one specific favorite memory but it might have been when I met up with a friend from high school in Copenhagen. He came just to see me which was amazing and it was so nice to see a familiar face while exploring Copenhagen, one of the greatest cities I have seen thus far.

What would you say to someone considering studying abroad?
If someone asked me if they should study abroad, I would not hesitate for a split second to say they absolutely should. Even though my experience at this specific university hasn't been exactly what I expected, I wouldn't change it for the world because I am learning so much about myself and other cultures that I would have never learned inside a classroom. I am definitely learning much more outside the classroom than inside because it is such a different culture here in Europe, in my opinion, and the only way to really realize that is to experience it. So, to anyone who has the opportunity to study abroad, make it happen!

Has study abroad influenced your academic/career path?
My experience here in Sweden has opened a whole new career path I hadn't even considered before, as well as for my academic path. I have thought about both continuing my education beyond a bachelor's degree in Europe along with the idea of maybe one day finding a job somewhere other than the U.S. I realized that there is so much of the world to see and experience and we only have this one life to take advantage of those experiences.